Purchasing Cost Analyst
Work Arrangement: Hybrid - Warren, MI
Experience Required: 2–4 years
Interview Process: One 30-minute technical interview and skills assessment
Position Overview
We are seeking an analytical Automotive Purchasing Cost Analyst to support purchasing contract audits, cost analysis, and supplier recovery initiatives. This hybrid role is ideal for someone with experience in automotive purchasing, procurement, buyer support, contract pricing, or cost analysis.
The successful candidate will analyze contract and purchasing data, identify pricing discrepancies, collaborate with buyers and supply-chain stakeholders, and help resolve open audits. The role requires advanced Microsoft Excel skills, strong mathematical reasoning, and the ability to work on detailed, long-term projects.
This is not an accounting, financial planning, or cost-budgeting position. Candidates whose experience is primarily in accounting or traditional financial analysis will not be considered.
Key Responsibilities
- Analyze purchasing and contract reports to identify pricing errors, inconsistencies, and potential supplier overpayments.
- Prepare clear, accurate deliverables that communicate contract issues and audit findings to purchasing and supply-chain stakeholders.
- Work directly with buyers and other business partners to review findings and resolve contract discrepancies.
- Support purchasing negotiations with suppliers by providing accurate cost and contract analysis.
- Track open audits and support the timely recovery of supplier overpayments.
- Monitor assigned performance indicators, including case aging, audit activity, and cost recoveries.
- Use Excel to organize, compare, validate, and analyze large sets of purchasing and contract data.
- Perform special studies and ad hoc analyses at the request of purchasing or business leadership.
- Support process improvements, special projects, and team training activities.
Required Qualifications
- 2–4 years of relevant experience in automotive purchasing, procurement, buying, supplier cost analysis, contract analysis, or a closely related area.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including:
- PivotTables
- VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP
- Conditional and nested formulas
- Data validation and reconciliation
- Sorting, filtering, and analyzing large datasets
- Strong mathematical and calculation skills.
- Ability to understand purchasing data and apply calculations to automotive business scenarios.
- Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to quickly learn new processes, systems, and technical concepts.
- Ability to work independently with minimal direction.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to prioritize multiple projects while maintaining accuracy and meeting deadlines.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, procurement, economics, engineering, or a related field.
- Relevant professional experience may be considered in place of a bachelor’s degree.
- Automotive industry experience is strongly preferred.
- Experience supporting automotive buyers, purchasing teams, suppliers, contracts, or cost-recovery activities.
- Candidates with relevant banking experience may be considered, particularly if their background includes purchasing, contracts, detailed cost calculations, reconciliation, or long-term analytical projects.
- Demonstrated history of completing long-term projects and maintaining consistent employment.
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